


the unspoken truth

by jaloulia



Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: Backstory, Friendship, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Pogues (Outer Banks), babypogues, popeandjjareactuallymorelikebrothersthanjjandjohnb
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:01:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24362479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaloulia/pseuds/jaloulia
Summary: the true story behind how jj met pope despite what everyone else thinks---basically I watched an interview on youtube with rudy and jd and realized that they're like for real best friends so why can't jj and pope have that same kind of energy? why does everyone assume jj and john b met first? those questions were what birthed this little plotless drabble.---disclaimer- I do not own outer banks or any of the characters.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 45





	1. chapter one: the very beginning

**Author's Note:**

> hi guys! I'm hoping to write a couple more chapters for this but in the meantime enjoy!  
> I really love the idea of Pope and JJ going way back. I don't know, I just feel like they seemed more like the ultimate best friends in the show as as opposed to jj and john b. Plus I only ever see fics on here that really emphasize the jj and john b bromance so I thought I'd switch it up a bit haha

JJ didn’t know precisely why, but nobody could ever get the origins of their little friend group right. He didn’t mean their acquaintances or the people they sometimes sat with at lunch during the school year didn’t know how the core four came to be, although they were guilty of it too, he meant John B and Kiara mostly.  
JJ remembers when Kiara had first hopped on board their little friendship train in the seventh grade. JJ’s still convinced John B only invited her to sit with them at lunch that one day because he had finally started to notice girls (John B was kind of a late bloomer in the realizing girls were pretty and not disgusting area) and Kiara was arguably the prettiest girl at school. At least in JJ’s eyes and definitely in John B’s even though he still denies it to this day. After that fateful lunch period full of Kiara and Pope discussing their favorite classes, JJ laughing at how nerdy they both were and John B kicking him under the table for it, Kiara was just kind of there. JJ had always had the idea that even if they had decided they didn’t like her, she still would have stuck around. She was like a leech the way she latched on to them, trying too hard to make it seem like she wasn’t desperate for a friend.

JJ remembered one day a few months after all four of them started hanging out when Kiara looked at him and John B after they’d finished tussling and laughing hysterically in the sand and proclaimed, “wow so you guys have been friends for like ever.” she had laughed trying to shake the sand they had stirred up out of her hair.

“Yeah, pretty much.” John B had piped up slinging an arm around JJ, “since like the third grade, I think.” JJ nodded along and accepted John B’s warm and sweaty half-hug, but his eyes darted over to where Pope sat across from them nursing a coca-cola (his parents never let him have soda - it had taken ten minutes for JJ to convince him to disobey and have one). He and Pope shared a knowing smile before JJ leaped up from where he was sitting to brush the sand off of him directly on to Kiara.

Sure, since third grade was a long time and it seemed obvious from both of their carefree and idiot personalities and their easy banter that John B and JJ were the kindred spirits, you-die-i-die, brother type best friends of the group. And of course, John B was JJ’s best friend. John B was his let’s go on an adventure, get in fights and then talk about our deepest desires lying next to each other in the same bed they had sleepovers in when they were nine best friends. Just like Kiara was his, I’ll hold you and care for you and then laugh at you when you fall off the dock and make fun of the stupid mullet you got in eight grade best friend. However, not many guessed the Pope was JJ’s strongest connection. Pope was JJ”s I know everything, let’s cry and hug, and hey I feel like a complete fucking idiot will you please help me with this homework because I’m to ashamed to ask my teacher, best friend. Pope was the first and almost the only person who had managed to penetrate JJ’s ever-present pride. Kiara and John B had gotten past his arrogant guard eventually, but Pope was first, and JJ would never forget that concrete fact.

Little known fact: JJ had known Pope since they were three (pope always liked to rub that in behind John B’s back ‘take that Mr. since third grade.’). 

Before JJ’s mom left when he was six, she worked at Heyward’s store as a cashier, and because her husband Luke Maybank had always been a dipshit and she couldn’t afford preschool or daycare, JJ came with her to work. He was an energetic three years old, to say the least, and didn’t take fondly to being stuck in front of a tv screen with a few transformers and teddy bears in the small break room while his mom worked out front, he was known to cause quite a ruckus in the store. He would run around barefoot, pester the customers, and pull things off shelves despite his mother’s half-hearted protests. His poor mother was desperate to keep the job and desperate to control her crazy son. Mrs. Heyward saw this and suggested all JJ needed was someone to keep him company, so she started to bring her own son to the store during JJ’s mom’s shifts. 

JJ had few memories of those early times besides the slight glimpse of the two of them sticking unwrapped candy into Pope’s hair and laughing their asses off at how if they pushed hard enough it would disappear (Pope has a mini afro back then - JJ always begged him to bring that look back). Despite his poor recall of the beginnings of his friendship with Pope, he knew it was there, and he knew it was first. 

He and Pope spent the next three years running through the aisles of the store, watching cartoons on the old box tv in the back and drawing little doodles in the fog of the freezer doors until Heyward yelled at them to ‘close the dang door or else all the ice cream will melt!’ (the man had been scary to a young JJ, he remembered that. His loud booming voice sometimes sounded too much like his own father even though Heyward’s hollers were hardly ever in anger and usually accompanied by a hearty chuckle). Pretty soon, the two opposite boys were inseparable, and JJ even started going over to Pope’s for playdates on the weekends and even had some sleepovers in Pope’s room with the racecar bed and giant Hotwheels track. The only times those happened, his mom would drop him off with bruises on her arms and tired eyes promising to be back in the morning, she just needed some time away from the house. Even at that age, JJ knew why he couldn’t stay in the house without his mom (which made it all the more confusing to him when his mom left for good. She knew it wasn’t safe for him there alone.)

Pope had been there with him in his most vulnerable years when he understood enough to keep his mouth shut about his shitty home life around Pope’s parents and his teachers once he started kindergarten but was still naive enough to share his secrets with his best friend always followed by a pinky promise. So little five-year-old Pope heard JJ confess he thought his dad was an angry alien wearing a man costume, that his mom cried a lot in her room and that maybe she just needed a popsicle, and that it wasn’t fair his mom and dad had special candies and drinks he couldn’t touch (pope was too little and innocent to know the seriousness behind JJ’s confessions but looking back on them now they ring clear as day and break his heart a little every time they pop in his head). JJ still remembered how Pope would sometimes squeal and hide under his covers when he told what he declared “scary stories”s, but they weren’t frightening to JJ. They were just life. Even though Pope had been (and still was) a little scaredy-cat, he had always listened to JJ, and JJ had always felt better after telling Pope stuff. He thinks that’s why his usually impervious stone walls of pride and denial are nothing to Pope. Because back when they were both little enough to sit on Pope’s racecar bed and fit under his red comforter with a flashlight, JJ built those walls, and Pope was stuck inside of them to.


	2. chapter two: according to john b

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> what tore baby pope and jj apart and what glued them back together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a heads up luke maybank is not only an asshole in this chapter but a racist asshole so please realize that my views do not reflect his at all and I am simply writing a character.  
> \--  
> disclaimer: i do not own the outer banks or any of the mentioned characters

John B loves to tell the story of when they met Pope, swears it’s his favorite origin story of all time. 

It was the fifth grade, and Pope had been as tiny and skinny as ever at that age, with long gangly legs and a head that just seemed a little too big for his body. Due to his size and his undeniable genius (the teachers always used his work as an example, which didn’t exactly help his case), Pope got picked on a lot. One day it had been John B doing the teasing. Sweet, naive John B honestly didn’t mean to. As per usual, he acted without thinking and laughed as Pope tripped over his own sandals, and his model solar system he had been holding rolled all over the playground. John B had turned to JJ and loudly declared that the gravity around them must be off and pretended to trip in slow motion like he was on the moon. Pope did not see the humor in what John B thought was a harmless joke and preceded to stand up and march to stand over where John B was flailing on the ground like an idiot still acting out his charade. He stood over John B, his cargo shorts cinched with a belt around his waist and flipped him off with both hands. 

JJ remembered John B had been shocked and immediately apologetic, explaining he really didn’t mean to offend Pope. He had felt so bad about it all day that at lunch, he practically dragged Pope over to sit with him and JJ and forced the snickers bar his dad had packed in his lunch into Pope’s hands. 

Yup that’s how the story goes in John B’s mind, and he likes to always finish it by saying and that how ‘JJ and I met Pope.’ but Pope and JJ know better, they’ve even told John B they had met before than and hung out quite a bit, but their absentminded friend always seemed to forget.

JJ couldn’t really blame him. Pope and he hadn’t been friends for a long time before fate crossed their paths again (or some bullshit like that), and when it did, they both pretended for a while it was their first time meeting. JJ pretended because he was bitter at Pope, bitter and embarrassed. After all, he knew Pope was still stuck in those walls with him even if he'd been a ghost for the past few years. Pope knew everything about JJ. He knew more than John B did at that point and the idea of that terrified JJ. 

JJ wasn’t quite sure why Pope pretended. (pope knew; he was ashamed, he had abandoned and betrayed his best friend)

JJ’s mom left the first day of first grade. It had been an exciting day with Pope by his side despite the fact that he had already been yelled at by his teacher and meant to stand in the corner. He took the bus to Heyward’s store, with Pope expecting his mom to be showing up around the same time for her shift. That’s how it worked in a kindergarten. His mom would pick him up, and they'd go straight to her work where he spent the afternoon and evening with POpe. However, JJ’s mom was not at the store. He remembered the fear that clenched his heart as Mrs. Heyward explained that his mom had quit that morning and had thought that she would have told JJ that. JJ still remembers how his hand had slipped into Pope’s at that moment, his heart beating rapidly and tears stinging at his eyes. Why would his mom quit? This was his favorite place. This was where he felt safe. She knew that because by the light in her eyes as she smiled at customers, he thought she felt safe here too. He was scared that now that his mom wasn’t working here, he wouldn’t be able to come to the store anymore. He wouldn’t be able to see Pope anymore.

“Mrs. Heyward?” JJ’s small voice had peeped up, fighting back sobs, “can me and Pope still play?” The women face than spread into a smile despite the worry in her eyes. 

“Of course JJ.” She had assured him and ruffled his hair, “let me just call your mom to let her know you’re here.”

A wave of relief washed over JJ, and he and Pope had immediately run off, hands still intertwined, to finish their fort of toilet paper they were building, with Heyward's permission (pope had been sure of that) in the storeroom. JJ felt better and a little bit silly, knowing that he had been scared. His mom would come and pick him up later and explain everything. She would tell him that, of course, he would still be allowed to play with his best friend and that she just found a better job. His young mind had fantasized about what kind of new job she got. Pope suggested maybe she was going to be a cowgirl now. JJ had though that would be awesome. His mom did love horses.

The sun was beginning to set, and JJ and Pope had been watching a movie when Mr. Heyward's voice called him out to the store. JJ quickly had gathered his book bag with Pope’s help anxious to ask his mother if she was a cowgirl now. They darted out to Heyward’s voice. JJ skidded to a stop, and Pope, holding his hand was lurched backward, (almost like a cartoon JJ had thought.) at the sight of not his mother but his scruffy father standing waiting for him.

“C’mon, son, let’s go.” His father gruff voice startled JJ for seemingly no reason. But JJ had a reason. Even when JJ was that age, Luke Maybank was no stranger to grabbing JJ by the shoulders and harshly shaking him until JJ felt like the world was pixelating and reforming in front of his eyes, or putting him over his knee for what he called ‘good ol’ fashioned discipline’. 

“I-” JJ had stuttered and squeezed Pope’s hand tighter, trying to process why on earth his father would be here. His father didn’t care enough about him to drive all the way down here. Had something happened to mom? “Where’s mom?” he piped up, trying to keep a casual tone. He didn’t want to scare Pope.

“I said let’s go, boy,” Luke spoke through gritted teeth and a spike of fear shot through JJ’s spine. He hurriedly dropped Pope’s hand and rushed to his father's side. He looked over his shoulder to wave at Pope as he and his dad walked out the sliding doors Pope waved back, flashing his smile, missing his two front teeth. JJ was so jealous of him for that. (He had lost only his stupid bottom tooth first and had yet to lose any other teeth.) Little did six-year-old JJ know, but that was one of the last interactions he would have with Pope for awhile.

After the unavoidable meltdown his father had once they got home which consisted of shouting all sorts of mean things about JJ’s mother after explaining that she had abandoned them, and JJ sobbing in the corner trying to block his father's angry words out, JJ and his father went on a week-long fishing trip. His father had been surprisingly calm the whole time only hurting JJ once for knocking a bucket of bait over (JJ tried to convince him elf he probably deserved that anyways because even despite that it was his best memory with his dad and he didn’t want any meanness ruining it). After they had gotten back home, it was a different story. The calm broke because JJ had asked his dad if he could keep riding the bus to Heyward’s after school. That had led to loud and furious lecture JJ hadn’t entirely understood, which consisted of phrases like, “I don’t want you hanging around their type.” and “they’re all criminals and bad influences.” JJ didn’t quite understand what that meant, but he understood the bruise on his cheek that came after he tried to protest that Pope was nice, and his family was not criminals, so he shut up about it. At least he’s still got to see Pope at school.

Wrong. JJ had been heartbroken to learn from his teacher that during his fishing trip, Pope had been moved to a different class for smarter kids. So JJ didn’t see him until recess.

At first, he had been relieved to spot his friend with the giant curly hair and missing teeth, but then he noticed how Pope had other boys with him, and they were all playing duck, duck goose, and laughing. All those kids looked nice and expensive, and JJ suddenly really didn’t want to talk to them with his bruised face and clothes that still smelled like fish. He wanted to talk to Pope but not them, so he waited on the swing for Pope’s new friends to leave and for his best friend to notice him, but the bell rang before that happened. JJ had felt absolutely defeated that day. 

The next day the same thing happened; Pope didn’t even notice him at recess. JJ was beyond defeated now; he was mad. 

The third day JJ decided he didn’t care anymore. He had to tell Pope how he felt, so he stomped over to where Pope was playing red light green light and shoved him in the back. “Why are you ignoring me!” He yelled as Pope turned around shock on his face.

“Hey, don’t push him!” Some random boy had spoken up.

“I can do whatever I want!” JJ retorted and shoved that boy, who proceeded to push him back soon the two of them were brawling on the ground. JJ managed to get some good punches into the kid's face before he was pulled off the ground by an angry recess monitor as he was marched off to the principles office, his forearm trapped in the vice of a teacher's hand. He looked behind himself to see Pope asking the other boy if he was okay. JJ wanted to cry then, and to his horror, he found tears starting to leak out of his eyes. They only got worse as the annoyed teacher told him that they would have to call his parents. Great. His little six-year-old brain knew what that meant. He was in for a world of pain, and he had no one to help him, no mother, no Heyward’s, and no Pope. 

It had been really bad that time with his father. Worse than it had ever been before, so JJ didn’t go to school for the rest of the week, which in his head only gave Pope more time to make more new friends and forget about him.

So really JJ understood why John B kept forgetting him and Pope were friend long before he came around with his freckles and friendship bracelets. Because the JJ and Pope connection, even though still strong, was forgotten for those four years. Pope had tried to talk to JJ after he came back to school the next week with faded bruises on his stomach, a split lip, and new insults learned from his father's angry tirade, but JJ ignored and avoided hi mat all costs angry and sad at his betrayal. Eventually, Pope stopped trying, and two years later, John B emerged into the picture for JJ. If JJ was being completely honest one of, the reasons he’s beyond thankful for John B is because without him, Pope may have never made his presence know inside JJ’s walls again, and JJ needed Pope. Pope was his safety.


	3. chapter three: promises to be remembered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> more on what glued pope and jj back together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bro... I really love Pope and JJ's friendship. Anyways please leave kudos and comments if you like this! It really motivates me. Thank you to everyone who has left kudos already!  
> \--  
> disclaimer: I do not own outer banks or any affiliated characters

After JJ and Pope started hanging out again, accompanied by the talkative John B, it took a good couple weeks for either of them to acknowledge the elephant in the room. Said elephant being the fact that Pope was JJ’s closest thing to family, right up there with John B despite the distance they’d experienced over the last years. JJ kind of hated that though knowing that pope had been out of his life for so long and was now suddenly back. So he and Pope were not exactly fond of each other that first month.

JJ was constantly picking at Pope, hurling insults and teases his way, challenging Pope to lash out with any kind of emotions, but Pope wasn’t like that. Pope either ignored his relentless attempts to start a fight, responded with annoyingly logical responses or laughed off his fifth-grade insults. This only served to make JJ madder at Pope (but if he was being honest, JJ knew he was only mad at himself.) JJ’s whole life had been full of explosive and unnecessary reactions, so why the fuck couldn’t Pope just give him that bit of familiarity and yell at him or call him a piece of shit only once? (JJ is now fully aware of how fucked up he was at ten years old to think that line of thinking was healthy)

JJ knew why. That just wasn’t who Pope was. He preferred to keep his emotions in check, unlike JJ, who would prefer to let the whole playground know when he was angry with someone, with curse words and scrappy fists that got him sent to the principles office every time. Even when they were tiny, JJ remembered how Pope used to consciously hold his tears at bay when he was upset, the complete opposite of a typical four-year-old like JJ who screamed his little head off and thrashed around on the ground until someone paid attention to him. (JJ didn’t learn until later that Pope didn’t like attention on him because he felt too much of it already...his brains made him a target for bullies but also a target for expectations… expectation he didn’t believe he could meet.) That’s why it was such a big deal that one day in the fifth grade, exactly a month and four days (but who was counting?) after they’d become friends again when Pope took the blame for one of JJ’s stupid mistakes.

It had been a daredevil type of day for JJ. He was on edge because his dad was returning from a week-long boat racing trip that evening. JJ knew from experience his dad was going to find something to be angry about the minute he stepped in the door. There was most likely nowhere for that anger to go besides JJ’s fifth-grade self, and so JJ decided if he was going to get beat tonight, he might as well have as much fun as he could before it happened. That’s why he’d stolen three chocolate bars from Mr. Nibbits candy store, and egged two boats in full daylight with John B’s assistance, of course. Pope being the typical scaredy-cat he was had opted to stand watch on each of JJ’s stunts so far (which really just consisted of him nervously wringing his hands about from a safe distance). 

As they entered Heyward’s store to get some dinner and relax in the cold AC, JJ knew he wasn’t done with his antics yet. He knew as soon as he saw the giant pyramid of toilet paper stacked right in front of the store. He surveyed the display about as tall as he was and wide enough at the top to stand. Yup, he was definitely climbing this thing.

“Hold this. “He had murmured a gin on his face as he shoved his half-eaten candy bar into Pope’s arms and put the first foot on one of the bottom level packs of toilet paper. 

“Yo, yo.” Pope had hissed and anxiously glanced around, there were a few customers in their line of sight, but thankfully, Heyward wasn’t around (yet) “what do you think you’re doing?”

“Shut up, you fucking chicken.” JJ had hurled at Pope, hoping to warrant another protest from the other boy, but Pope just closed his mouth into a thin line and placed both hands on the back of his neck. JJ rolled his eyes and kept climbing the display almost falling twice but goaded on by John B’s excitement filled whispers. He reached the top and wobbled as he stood up.

“Okay JJ, come down now. “Pope had hissed as a couple of the customer's eyes started to fall on to them.

“Whatever Pope.” JJ laughed and had leaned forward to flip the boy off, but the movement was too much, and JJ couldn't correct it in time. Down came JJ and a hundred packs of toilet paper all across the entrance to Heyward’s store. 

“What in the hell?!” All the boys straightened at Heyward’s exclamation from the back of the store at the loud crash. 

“Shit, shit.” Pope murmured and quickly yanked JJ out of the pile, leaving himself standing in the middle of it as his father rounded the corner.

“Oh, my lord.” Was all Heyward could say fuming in silent anger. He rubbed a hand across his face, and JJ tried to steady his breathing. Heyward didn’t hit kids; he reminded himself, but Heyward did call parents. JJ kicked a pack of toilet paper, half-heartedly. He was so in for it tonight, but then he realized he wasn’t in the middle of it Pope was, he’d be fine. Wait… why was Pope in the middle of it?

“I-” Pope stammered and struggled to meet his father’s glare, “I- it was me Pops. “JJ’s eyebrows shot up. “I knocked over the display, M’sorry. “Pope finished with a mumble undoubtedly aware of the crowd of silent onlookers giving him the attention he detested, that had gathered around the crash site. 

JJ had been caught off guard, to say the least. He had stepped forward to claim responsibility (he didn’t need anybody to lie for him… Maybanks don’t take charity acts), but John B grabbed his arm. 

“Your dad. “John B hissed in his ear, “he’ll be mad.”

No shit sherlock. JJ wanted to whisper back, but he was still a bit stunned. Why would the Pope take the fall for him? And oh boy did Pope take the fall he was grounded for two weeks and missed the nerdy science fair JJ had been dreading, but Pope had been begging to attend all month. 

In those two weeks where John B and JJ only saw Pope at school, and when they snuck into his yard at midnight to convince him to scramble out his window and look at the stars with them, JJ had a lot of thinking to do. Like why was he even mad at Pope? Over some silly first grade disagreement? JJ felt like crap for those two weeks because Pope really was his best friend despite their differences and their opposite temperaments, despite their contrasting home lives and the distance they had shared apart from one another, Pope would sacrifice his overwhelming need to blend into the background and his stupid science fair just for JJ. JJ had never even considered doing something like that for Pope.

The weekend Pope was un-grounded was a celebration. The boys whooped and hollered as they got off the bus that Friday free to go roam the beach and surf the waves with their third limb. JJ could tell the Heyward’s were a bit reluctant to let their son go back to hanging out with JJ and John B, but the latter flashed that charming smile that made adults melt, and then all three of them were off. Once they got to the beach, JJ stared quizzically at Pope Heyward as he kicked his sandals off and ripped his shirt off, getting ready to splash into the water. He had been expecting the boy to say something like ‘you owe me.” or ‘you’ll never be able to pay me back or this one.’ but that hadn’t come and that's when it sunk in for JJ that Pope wold always be an unmoving force in his life. Pope would care for him unconditionally, expecting nothing in return. JJ was mortified to find a lump forming in his throat. 

“Pope!” He called and grabbed the boys arm before he could dash to the water's edge.

“Yeah?” Pope raised an eyebrow at him in question.

“Um, I-,” JJ still remembered how he had felt sweaty and nervous he wasn’t used to heartfelt moments, “I just want to say thanks.” and then JJ pulled his best friend into a long hug and he couldn't keep from crying. 

“Woah,” Pope had patted his back and laughed nervously, “It’s okay man, It’s already forgotten.” JJ squeezed him tighter at that comment.

“I’m gonna repay you.” He had spoken, setting a definite line in his mind, locking away this favor from pope so he would never forget it. One day when Pope was in trouble he was going to do the same (that ended up being a difficult promise to fulfill because Pope was rarely in trouble, but when the day came about with him and Kie yelling at Detective Shoupe as his best friend was lead out in handcuffs JJ remembered his promise).

“You don’t have to do that, man,” Pope assured him. JJ stood up straight then and gnawed on his inner lip, scrubbing tears from his eyes. JJ noticed how John B was standing awkwardly beside them and shoved him. 

“If you tell anyone I was crying, I’ll beat your ass.” He threatened and then took off towards the waves, “the last one to the ocean is a rotten egg. “He hollered and basked in the warm glow of the sun and both of his best friends joyous laughter surrounding him.


End file.
